I was always very academically focused when I was growing up, and music was something for which I really had no preconceptions or expectations for myself or really any rules. It kind of represented, at least for me, a divergent path of creativity and self-discovery.

When I was growing up, I wasn't in bands, and had really no intention of ever doing music. I went out to California for college, and kind of on a whim started making music really as a joke, and over the course of the next five years started playing a lot of shows, and music became this really integral part of my identity.

As an independent artist, you control the means of production, which is the ultimate form of empowerment.

I think a part of me thought that I might be interested in academia because I really do love school. I mean that on all levels - I like educational environments; I like being part of that community of learning and exploration. And I like to talk.

The lesson is, because there will be many lemons in life, to learn to make the proverbial lemonade - and be open and honest. That's the best way of doing damage control and positioning yourself for success.

If there is something that needs to be done on my behalf back home, for example, my brothers take care of it for me. I share everything with my family; all my happiness and success is theirs.

Everyone talks about how they knew the Bond films were going to be a success, but it simply isn't true.

I think success is finding happiness! Everyone certainly has different goals in life, and things that are important to them, and also things that are not important to them.